The Greatest Basketball Player
by SwordSkill
Summary: What had inspired Rukawa into becoming such a skilled and sugoi player? Yes, there's a girl involved *reader groans* but not romantically. Not really. Please R/R! ^^


**Author's Notes:** I think I just gave the Rukawa poster hanging in my bedroom a stare too many. *_* Owel. I know, this fic is a one-shot ditty and it's another one of those Rukawa-and-some-girl thing (good grief, not again!) but it's not romance. Not really anyway. Please review.

**The Greatest Basketball Player**

"You're leaving practice early?"

Rukawa answered expressionlessly, "Yes."

Ayako wrote a mark on her clipboard. "Care to explain why?"

Rukawa didn't blink. "Not really."

"I know why!" said a triumphant Sakuragi as he ran to catch a ball. "He doesn't want to look bad in front of me! And I don't blame him! Ore wa tensai Sakuragi!" He gave one of his tensai-laughs and sure enough, a ball came sailing by and hit him at the back of his head. 

"Baka!" came the gorilla bullhorn. "Keep your eyes on the ball, Sakuragi!"

Rukawa merely slit his eyes, saying a rather loud, "Do'ahou," before gliding past Ayako towards the shower room, not minding the "Teme kitsune!" that echoed in the courts.

He placed his bag on the floor, slowly, deliberately. He stared at the mirror that reflected his black, glossy hair and his well-muscled arms. He peered closer, staring into his own eyes.

_"Baka Kaede-kun!" The little girl with the pigtails hit his chest with a basketball, making his frail frame topple over._

"You wouldn't know how to play basketball to save your life!" she taunted as the ball rolled off little Rukawa's chest. "You're a boy and you're a foot taller than me, but you can't even steal the ball!" 

Rukawa blinked.

***

The sun was merciless.

Rukawa leaned at the entrance of Kanagawa Prefecture Shohoku High School. He was dressed in the school uniform with his bag on his right arm and his other hand atop his bicycle seat. He waited.

__

Rukawa's face was red as he stood up, hugging the bright orange ball. "That's not true!" he shouted, taking a step nearer to her.

"Yes it is!" the girl sang snidely. "You'll be nothing but a skinny pale boy all your life while I grow up to be the greatest basketball player in Japan!"

"Basketball is for fools!" he hurled as a last resort.

The girl's mocking smile turned into a dark glare. She reached out with her arm and slammed the ball from his arms, and with the other arm she hit him in his face, making his nose bleed. "Do'ahou Kaede!"

The anger and the pain...

"Sumimasen, are you Rukawa Kaede?"

Rukawa looked at the speaker who was tugging the cuff of his sleeve.

"Depends who's asking," he said shortly. The girl had short brown hair that hung loosely near her shoulders. She was dressed in a blouse and blue jeans and carried a big box on her lap. She was seated on her bike and looked like any other Rukawa groupie that had always annoyingly fawned over him.

The girl frowned at him. "You don't look anything like Rukawa Kaede."

Rukawa arched an eyebrow. "Who said I was?"

The girl's frowned deepened. "You said, 'Depends who's asking' and that's what people usually say when they don't like admitting that they're the person the other person is asking for."

"You talk too much." Rukawa turned away. "Go talk to a wall."

"I already _am_ talking to a wall," persisted the girl.

"Do'ahou," Rukawa muttered.

The girl stopped at mid-breath. "What did you say?"

"I don't think you'd care to know."

"No, no, say it again."

Rukawa faced her curiously. "You are a very strange girl."

"Yes, and that's why I'm still talking to you."

_What a smart ass,_ thought Rukawa, irritated.

The girl curled a few strands of her hair by her fingers. "Okay, forget that. _Are_ you Rukawa Kaede?"

Rukawa heaved a leave-me-alone breath and said, "I thought you were already convinced that I _am_ Rukawa Kaede."

"That's what I thought, but you can't be because Kaede is short..."

"Short?"

"...most probably a skeleton by now..."

"A skeleton?"

"...and also may be very ugly."

"Ugly?"

"I wish you'd stop repeating everything I say. And anyway, he's very chatty and awfully friendly, for a jerk."

"So ka." Rukawa flicked his bangs with his fingers. "Well, people change, even pale, skinny boys. Koyasu."

Koyasu Natsuko's eyes widened with realization. She sized him up and down and clamped her hand on her mouth. "Ka-kaede? That's you?"

"Very much so," said Rukawa with no emotion whatsoever. "And why do you want to see me, Koyasu?"

Natsuko seemed very tongue-tied until she softly said, "It's Natsuko, remember?"

"I prefer Koyasu." It was very curt.

"Oh. I see." Natsuko fiddled with her hair. "Well, anou, my family decided to pay a visit back here. I mean, Tokyo isn't bad at all; in fact I enjoy living there for years, but Oto-san said that he wanted to come back here to check on things, it being his home and all. We've been staying with our grandparents for three days now."

"I don't see what that has anything to do with me."

"Oh. Yes." Natsuko colored a little. "Well, I wanted to apologize to you because when I left years ago when we were kids, we weren't exactly in very good terms."

Silence.

"And I don't want to have long grudges with enemies."

"You don't have to apologize," said Rukawa calmly. "I don't do anything to my enemies."

"Aa, that's not the point. We can be friends now, can't we? Nine years is long enough for both of us to wise up." She laughed nervously.

"Hn." Rukawa ran his fingers through his hair, apparently bored.

Natsuko lowered her eyes. "Besides, that's not the only reason I rang you up yesterday and asked where I can meet you. My oto-san wants to give your father a present from Tokyo." She patted the box.

Rukawa extended his hand for it. "I'll take it to Oto-san for you then."

Natsuko didn't budge. "Ah, Kaede-kun...can we talk?"

Rukawa grumbled. "Look, you're forgiven if that's what you're pestering me about. Really. That over, can I go back to my basketball practice now?"

Natsuko's eyes shone. "Kaede-kun...you play basketball?"

Oh. He had forgotten. That was the reason of their little fight.

"Yes," he said with his trademark indifference.

"That's...wonderful!" Natsuko's face was one of pure joy. "What position do you play?"

"Uh. Small forward."

"That's great!" Natsuko clapped her hands together, and Rukawa could almost see the old pigtails bouncing up and down again in his mind's eye.

"Show me some moves, Kaede-kun!" said Natsuko, grabbing his arm. "Now we can have a _real_ game!"

"Yare yare," muttered Rukawa as he vainly tried to shake Natsuko off. "Get off me, onna."

"There's an outdoor court here somewhere near, right?" Natsuko dropped her grip. "I know there is, and I still know where it is! Come on, get your butt on your bike! Come on, come on!"

Rukawa scratched his head. He hadn't expected this. He shrugged. "Let's get this over with."

***

"Okay, you play offense and I'll do defense for a change," said Natsuko.

Rukawa rolled the ball they found in the empty outdoor court in his hands. He dribbled it slowly, at a moderate pace as Natsuko stood in front of him, legs apart and arms wide open, gauging his speed and tempo.

_This time, Natsuko,_ he thought as he heard the familiar tone of ball bouncing against cement, _it's going to be different._

Switching paces, he stepped on his right quickly. Natsuko had read the move and her arm was ready to smash the ball away.

But Rukawa was far from over. He dribbled the ball across to his left and his other hand caught it deftly as Natsuko made an effort to grab it from him. Not missing a beat nor losing a second, he bounced it between his legs backwards and his right hand caught it with a scoop. Planting his right foot on the ground firmly as a pivot, he swiveled his left leg clockwise with his body totally blocking Natsuko from any sudden moves.

"That was pretty good," said Natsuko breathlessly behind him, her arms trying to reach for the ball he dribbled with his right.

_Breathless already? You haven't seen anything yet._

Switching the ball to his left, he did a fast dash for the goal. But Natsuko caught up with him at a surprising speed.

_You're good, Natsuko. But I'm better._

He leaped.

Natsuko leaped, twisting her body to end up in front of him, her hand reaching up.

He smirked._ She had jumped too high._

All the while he had held up the ball atop his hand like a pie in a platter, as if he was going for a lay-up. Now seeing the ample space between Natsuko's arm and her body that she had sacrificed for reaching up, he smoothly slid his arm under it. He ducked. And he twisted his wrist.

_The greatest basketball player..._

Doing a Tomahawk, he dunked the ball as he heard the wind rush behind his ears.

The ring vibrated.

He loosened his hold on the hoop.

The ball dropped to the ground, echoing. Both boy and girl landed at the same time.

Rukawa passed his hand over his brow, wiping the sweat.

"Sugoi...sugoi ne!"

Rukawa turned.

Natsuko was panting heavily, her hands on her knees. Perspiration fell, bead after bead, across her red face, but her eyes were shimmering. With tears.

"Kimi wa...kimi wa sugoi, Kaede-kun!" Natsuko shook her head. "That lay-up feint and that Tomahawk...they were magnificent! What a goal!"

"Yes, but it's nothing to cry about," said Rukawa, feeling uncomfortable.

"Oh." Natsuko wiped the tears from her eyes. "Why couldn't you have played that way when we were young?"

"I couldn't have possibly reached the hoop back then."

Natsuko laughed girlishly. "Waiii! Rukawa Kaede doing fine plays! Do it again!"

"Hm?"

"Do a Tomahawk again!"

"If I do, would you stop that infernal noise?"

"Hai, hai, hai!"

"Yosh." Rukawa looked relieved as he dribbled the ball across the court and jumped and dunked it again with his right hand.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

"Nani?" Natsuko turned around to the side of the court.

"Rukawa! Rukawa! Super Rookie, Rukawa!"

And there again was the motley crew of Rukawa cheerleaders, numbering to about a dozen, their eyes as big as saucers, flowing buckets of tears. Their face were pasted on the steel-wires and their cheeks were pink from blushing. They were jumping in ecstasy after seeing their favorite Shohoku player lash out a Tomahawk.

"Quite a fan club you got there, Kaede-kun," commented Natsuko.

Rukawa looked horribly annoyed. "Don't mind them," he grumbled. "They're everywhere."

"Hey, who's that girl with Rukawa-kun?"

"She doesn't look like she comes from Shohoku."

"But that makes sense because Rukawa-kun is so famous, he's practically known all over Japan!"

"But _who's that girl_?"

"Let's hope she's just a family member or something."

"So yo, so yo!" The girls glared at Natsuko.

Natsuko turned back to face Rukawa, whose face was becoming very sour indeed. "I hope they're not very violent," she said, trying to keep off a great urge to laugh. "They don't seem to bode me very well."

"Aa." Rukawa walked towards them, and this elicited another monosyllabic scream from the Rukawa Fan Club.

Rukawa was careful not to put his face too near the steel wires before giving his speech. "Go away."

"Waii! Rukawa-kun talked to us!"

"Isn't that just sugoi?!"

"Wait till the other girls hear about this! We're so lucky!"

The girls left chattering and giggling nineteen to a dozen, leaving a kitsune-eyed Rukawa.

"Weird people," he said, shaking his head.

"They're rooting for the right person," said Natsuko, nudging Rukawa mischievously.

"Aa," said Rukawa again.

"Chikusho, you're so quiet, Kaede-kun," said Natsuko, sitting down on the cement.

Rukawa went to the far side of the court and sat down.

A bird flew over.

"I hope you're not expecting me to shout to you while we're having this conversation." Natsuko got up and scrambled to Rukawa's side, sitting beside him.

Rukawa edged away.

Natsuko edged closer.

Rukawa edged away.

"Darn it, Rukawa, stay put!" Natsuko grabbed his arm. "I'm not going to bite you."

"No, I'm expecting something worse."

"Hehe." Natsuko grabbed his cheek and pulled it childishly.

Rukawa batted her hand away. "When are you going to grow up, Natsuko?"

Natsuko dropped her hold, looking disappointed. "You've changed, Kaede-kun."

"I told you people change."

"Yes, but..." Then Natsuko changed the subject. "So tell me how you turned into such a basketball prodigy."

Rukawa didn't answer.

He wasn't going to tell her that it was her that prodded him to play basketball.

Not just to play as a child.

But to play it seriously. Competitively. Powerfully. That he will be able to beat her when she came back...

But she never did come back. Until now.

"Hey, does this still hurt?" Natsuko pressed a finger on Rukawa's nose.

"Hm?"

"This is where I hit you the day I left, right?"

"Natsuko, I can't breathe." Rukawa gingerly pulled her hand away. "Yes, you hit me there. It bled for the whole day."

"I'm sorry." Natsuko dropped her hand and looked on the ground. "I'm sorry I did all those mean things to you."

Rukawa grunted something inaudible.

"What was that?"

"I said 'Don't be,'" repeated Rukawa.

"I just thought it would toughen you up. You were always so thin and so...so helpless. I thought I was doing you a favor. I didn't know I went too far-" Natsuko was suddenly overcome by a fit of hacking cough.

"Natsuko, daijoubu ka?" Rukawa's voice held real concern.

Natsuko waved her hand as she took an inhalator from her pocket and took a dose. "Asthma," she said wheezily.

"Asthma?"

"Yeah. That's why I don't play basketball anymore."

"You don't play basketball anymore?"

"When will you stop repeating what I say, Kaede-kun?" said Natsuko, a smile decorating her face.

"But...how are you going to be Japan's greatest basketball player?"

"Oh, that old line. Just a silly child's vow." Natsuko shrugged. "Do you seriously think I stand a chance against you? I saw how great you were."

"I'm not that great," said Rukawa, thinking about Sendoh vengefully.

"The point is I can't play anymore. Not when this asthma's transformed me into a vegetable." Natsuko coughed.

"But still...

"Kaede-kun." Natsuko put a hand on his shoulder. "I lied to you when I didn't recognize you, when I told you I didn't know you played basketball."

Rukawa was taken aback. "Nani?"

"I managed to follow the papers in Tokyo. I saw your success in Shohoku's basketball team, your title as a super rookie, the adoring praise from columnists...at first I didn't believe it, but then, as you said, people change. And I guess you did. And so did I."

Rukawa didn't answer.

"Tonight I'm going back to Tokyo. And I wanted to meet you this afternoon," said Natsuko, "because I wanted to tell you who deserved to be Japan's greatest player far more than I."

Rukawa stared at her brown eyes. Then he told her.

***

The day Natsuko had punched him and had left for Tokyo, he had picked up the ball and stared at it. With hatred. Then he began to play.

It took him, a seven-year-old back then, an entire week of incessant ball-playing to run across the court and manage to shoot a ball into the hoop. After that, he wouldn't stop. He wanted to be able shoot from any given location, to be able to steal the ball from anyone's grasp, elude anyone's defense, and be able to do a slam dunk.

He played with a vengeance.

He wanted to show Koyasu Natsuko who was the better player.

He never dreamed of playing in a team nor being a great player. He just wanted to beat Natsuko. Simply because she had hurt his pride.

The days wore on to weeks, months, and years. And Natsuko didn't come back.

But still, he played. He practiced. He would not allow the fact that Natsuko would come back some day and beat him again because he slacked off, and as a result waste all his hard practice.

But it looked like Fate had more than just beating Natsuko in store for him. When he entered the Tamigaoka basketball team, he saw the other side of the game.

Soon, he began to forget about her. He refined his techniques, beat players who were probably a whole lot better than Natsuko, and walked off with victory. He lived and breathed basketball.

He never even gave Natsuko a thought when he entered the basketball team of Shohoku High School. He was too preoccupied to make himself better...than anyone else. To be the greatest basketball player alive.

***

Rukawa stopped his narration and stared in front of him at the setting sun.

"So all your skills in basketball...was because you wanted to beat _me_?" Natsuko's voice was muffled.

"Hai."

"That's...that's insane."

No answer.

"I mean, look at me now. I can't even survive a day without my inhalator. I'm pathetic. And you wanted to beat me." Natsuko gave a bitter laugh and buried herself in her arms, propped up by her knees.

Rukawa exhaled a small sigh. It felt good to tell somebody. Even though that somebody was the one he wanted to beat in the first place.

"I'll do it for you," he said quietly.

"What?" Natsuko said to her knees.

"Now that you think you can't be the greatest basketball player, I'll do it for you."

"I don't think I understand." Natsuko looked up.

"I'll be the greatest basketball player for you. Besides, I'm already halfway there," he said a little too cockily.

Natsuko couldn't help giggling. "You? Rukawa Kaede will be the greatest, for me?"

"Don't tease or I'll take it back."

"Oh, gomen, Kaede-sama," said Natsuko, grinning. Then she extended her hand. "Truce then?"

"Aa." Rukawa shook it. "And, Natsuko..."

"Yes?"

"Arigato."

And Natsuko saw something that was worth more than all the Rukawa fine plays combined.

He smiled.

***

After accompanying Natsuko to the gate of the train station for her to meet her parents, Rukawa biked back home with Natsuko's box for his father safely on his lap.

"Koyasu and his family was here?" asked Rukawa Jiro, looking at the box on the table.

"Mm."

"Where were they living? And why didn't Koyasu tell me earlier?"

"They were living in Natsuko's grandparents's house."

"That's impossible."

Rukawa lifted his eyebrow, kitsune style. "Why is that?"

"That house was burned down just a week ago and her grandparents moved to Tokyo to join Koyasu's family. Didn't you hear about it?"

Rukawa's eyes flashed. He jumped up and began ripping the masking tape that held the box together.

"Oi, Kaede, what do you think you're doing?!" shouted the older Rukawa.

Rukawa opened the box.

In it was a bright, shining, orange basketball, newly polished. Rukawa picked up a piece of paper that was taped on it.

_"To Kaede-kun, the Greatest Basketball Player." -Koyasu Natsuko, his greatest fan._

**OWARI**

**P.S.**: Help! I'm drowning in fluff! And I think I can hear my own worn Spalding basketball calling for me... (but I want a new one too! Waiii!^^)


End file.
